SAN FRANCISCO / Couple convicted in dog mauling lose licenses to practice law

The San Francisco couple convicted of manslaughter after their dog fatally mauled a neighbor in 2001 have both lost their licenses to practice law in the state, according to the State Bar of California.

Marjorie Knoller, who was convicted in 2002 of second-degree murder in the attack, resigned from the State Bar in January, records show. Her law license was suspended after the conviction, which had been reduced to involuntary manslaughter. The Delray Beach, Fla., resident voluntarily gave up her license earlier this year, according to the State Bar.

Robert Noel was not present during the fatal dog attack, but was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2002, and his license was suspended at the time. He was ordered inactive by the State Bar in 2006, records show, and was disbarred Feb. 17. His address is listed in Fairfield.

According to records, the State Bar's hearing department disbarred Noel after he failed to respond to the interim suspension order, which is required by the State Bar.

When the attack occurred, the couple were taking care of two Presa Canarios for a prison inmate they later adopted as their son. The canines attacked Diane Whipple, 33, in the hallway of her Pacific Heights apartment building on Jan. 26, 2001, with the male, 140-pound dog inflicting the fatal wounds.

Knoller and Noel have served their prison sentences, but Knoller could face more jail time. In 2005, a state appeals court overtured a Superior Court judge's decision to reduce her conviction to involuntary manslaughter, which he did on the basis that Knoller could not have known the dogs were likely to kill someone.

The California Supreme Court is currently reviewing the appel-late court's decision. In the meantime, the reduction to involuntary manslaughter remains intact.